Part 4 (1/2)

But I will tell you what they had in Syria--they had one of G.o.d's children there, and she was a little girl, a simple captive maid, who waited on Mrs. Naaman. Naaman knew nothing about this little Israelite, though she was one of his household.

I can imagine that one day, as she was waiting on the general's wife, she noticed her weeping. Her heart was breaking because of the dark cloud that rested over her home. So she told her mistress that there was a prophet in her country that could cure her master of his leprosy. ”Would to G.o.d,” she said, ”my lord were with the prophet in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.”

There's faith for you!

She boasted of G.o.d that He would do more for this heathen than He had done for any in Israel; and

G.o.d HONORED HER FAITH.

”What do you say? A prophet in Israel that can cure leprosy?”

”Yes.”

”Why, did you ever know any one that was cured?”

”No.”

”Well, then, what makes you think there is a prophet that can cure leprosy?”

”Oh, that isn't anything to what Elisha can do. There was a little child that lived near us that died, and he raised him to life. He has done many wonderful things.”

She must have had a reputation for truthfulness. If she hadn't, her testimony would not have been taken.

Some one told the general of it, and he made it known to the king.

Now, Naaman stood high in the king's favor, for he had recently won a great victory. He stood near the throne. So the king said:

”You had better go down to Samaria, and see if there is anything in it. I will give you letters of introduction to the King of Israel.”

Yes, he would give Naaman letters of introduction to the king.

That's just man's idea. The notion was, that if anybody could help him it was the king, and that the king had power both with G.o.d and man. Oh, my friends, it is a good deal better to know a man that knows G.o.d! A man acquainted with G.o.d has more power than any earthly potentate. Gold can't do everything.

Away goes Naaman down to Samaria with his kingly introduction. What a stir it must have made when the commander of the Syrian army drove up! He has brought with him a lot of gold and silver. That is man's idea again; he is going to pay for a great doctor, and he took about five hundred thousand dollars to pay for the doctor's bill. There are a good many men who would willingly pay that sum if with it they could buy the favor of G.o.d, and get rid of the curse of sin. Yes, if money could do it,

HOW MANY WOULD BUY SALVATION!

But, thank G.o.d, it is not in the market for sale. You must buy it at G.o.d's price, and that is ”without money and without price.” Naaman found that out.

My dear friends, did you ever ask yourselves which is the worse--the leprosy of sin, or the leprosy of the body? For my own part, I would a thousand times sooner have the leprosy of the body eating into my eyes, and feet, and arms! I would rather be loathsome in the sight of my fellow-men than die with the leprosy of sin in my soul, and be banished from G.o.d forever! The leprosy of the body is bad, but the leprosy of sin is a thousand times worse. It has cast angels out of heaven. It has ruined the best and strongest men that ever lived in the world. Oh, how it has pulled men down! The leprosy of the body could not do that.

There is one thing about Naaman that I like specially, and that is his earnestness of purpose. He was

THOROUGHLY IN EARNEST.

He was quite willing to go one hundred and fifty miles, and to take the advice of this little maid. A good many people say:

”Oh, I don't like such and such a minister; I should like to know where he comes from, and what he has done, and whether any bishop has laid his hands on his head.”

My dear friends, never mind the minister; it is the message you want. If some one were to send me a telegraph message, and the news were important, I shouldn't stop to ask about the messenger who brought it. I should want to read the news. I should look at the message, and not at the boy who brought it.

And so it is with G.o.d's message. The good news is everything, the minister nothing. The Syrians looked down with contempt on the Israelites, and yet this great man was willing to take the good news at the hands of this little maiden, and listened to the words that fell from her lips. If I got lost in New York, I should be willing to ask anybody which way to go, even if it were only a s...o...b..ack; and, in point of fact, a boy's word in such a case is often better than a man's. It is the way I want, not the person who directs me.